The present invention relates to an emitter barb cluster and emitter barb installation tool, and in particular, to an emitter barb cluster for use in an emitter barb installation tool and an emitter barb installation tool that automatically and continuously feeds emitter barbs into a driving position wherein each barb is driven into a pipe.
Emitter barbs 10 are hollow fittings that tap into a pipe so that fluids are routed to various outside locations along the pipe. A common use of emitter barbs 10 are for irrigation pipes and sprinkler systems wherein water is flowed or dripped at various plant or vegetation locations. FIGS. 2 and 3 show two types of conventional prior art emitter barbs 10A and 10B. These prior art barbs 10A and 10B exist independently and are typically installed into flexible pipes by first punching holes into the pipe and then manually inserting the barbs one at a time therein. FIG. 2 shows a self-perforating emitter barb 10A having sharpened ends 12 wherein the self-perforating barb 10A is manually installed without necessarily first punching a starter hole in the pipe. The sharpened ends 12 are able to pierce the wall of the pipe when it is forced thereat. However, these self-perforating barbs 10A are typically made of plastic materials such that forcing them into the pipe without first punching a hole may be cumbersome or difficult. FIG. 3 shows an emitter barb 10B that has blunt ends 14 (i.e. does not have sharpened ends) wherein it is necessary to first punch a starter hole in the pipe before the barb 10B is installed therein.
Tools for installing emitter barbs into a pipe have been developed. Some examples of such prior art tools are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,339 (xe2x80x9cthe xe2x80x2339 patentxe2x80x9d); 5,177,846 (xe2x80x9cthe xe2x80x2846 patentxe2x80x9d); 5,722,142 (xe2x80x9cthe xe2x80x2142 patentxe2x80x9d); and 5,893,201 (xe2x80x9cthe xe2x80x2201 patentxe2x80x9d). The xe2x80x2846 patent discloses a prior art tool that simply holds the emitter barb in a handle, and the handle is driven by the user so that the emitter barb is installed into the pipe. The xe2x80x2339 patent, xe2x80x2142 patent and xe2x80x2201 patent disclose prior art tools that hold or support the pipe in place and also hold the emitter barb in place so that the emitter barb is able to be driven into the pipe. The problem with these prior art tools is that each time an emitter barb is to be driven to the pipe, the user has to manually insert the barb into place before it is driven by the tool into the pipe. Also, the prior art tools that hold and support the pipe may be more cumbersome to use and/or require more movement or action when the barb is being installed and when the pipe is being released from the tool after the barb has been installed. Typically, at least two movements of the tool is required in order to install the barb, that is, a movement for driving the barb into the pipe and another movement for releasing the barb and the pipe from the tool.
Additionally, the tools disclosed in the prior art patents do not provide a mechanism wherein a starter hole is first punched into the pipe before the emitter barb is installed therein. The prior art tools, therefore, are not able to install the emitter barbs 10B (i.e. with blunt ends) into a pipe without first having to manually punch a starter hole.
Automatic and continuous feeders for other tools such as nail guns and staple guns exist. U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,371 provides an example of such a feeder for a nail gun. However, an automatic and continuous feeder does not exist for an emitter barb installation tool.
Therefore, the present invention discloses and provides an emitter barb installation tool that automatically and continuously feeds, drives, and inserts the emitter barbs into pipes. Also, the present invention discloses and provides an emitter barb cluster for use in the emitter barb installation tool for easier handling and loading of the emitter barbs. Furthermore, the present invention discloses and provides an emitter barb installation tool that drives the emitter barbs into the pipe and releases the pipe from the tool generally using one fluid motion. Also, the present invention discloses an emitter barb installation tool that punches a starter hole into the pipe before the emitter barb is inserted into the pipe.
Set forth is a brief summary of the invention in order to solve the foregoing problems and achieve the foregoing and other objects, benefits, and advantages in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as embodied and broadly described herein.
It is an object and advantage of the present invention to provide a tool for automatically and continuously feeding and driving emitter barbs into a pipe.
It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide an emitter barb cluster for use in an emitter barb installation tool.
It is further object and advantage of the present invention to provide an emitter barb installation tool that drives the emitter barbs into the pipe and releases the pipe from the tool generally using one fluid motion.
It is still a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a tool that drives emitter barbs that have either sharpened ends or blunt ends or an emitter barb from an emitter barb cluster.
It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide an emitter barb installation tool that punches a starter hole into the pipe before the emitter barb is inserted into the pipe.
It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide various types of feeder magazines for an emitter barb installation tool that automatically and continuously place emitter barbs into a driving position.
It is still a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide an emitter barb installation tool that has a pipe support to hold and support a pipe.
It is still another object and advantage of the present invention to provide various types of pipe supports such as jaw or jaws for an emitter barb installation tool.
It is still a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide various types of driving mechanisms for an emitter barb installation tool to drive emitter barbs from a driving position and into the pipe.
It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide various types of driving handles for an emitter barb installation tool.
It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide an emitter barb installation tool that electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically drives emitter barbs into a pipe.
It is still another object and advantage of the present invention to provide an emitter barb installation tool that also has a cutter mechanism for cutting pipes.
It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide an emitter barb installation tool that also has removable jaw inserts to allow pipes of various sizes to be to be held and supported.
The preferred embodiments of the inventions are described below in the Figures and Detailed Description. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art or arts. If any other meaning is intended, the specification will specifically state that a special meaning is being applied to a word or phrase. Likewise, the use of the words xe2x80x9cfunctionxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmeansxe2x80x9d in the Detailed Description is not intended to indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6 to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6, are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically state the phrases xe2x80x9cmeans forxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstep forxe2x80x9d and a function, without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material, or act in support of the function. Even when the claims recite a xe2x80x9cmeans forxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstep forxe2x80x9d performing a function, if they also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means of step, then the intention is not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6, are invoked to define the inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function, along with any and all known or later-developed equivalent structures, materials or acts for performing the claimed function.